Jerry Potter Movies
- 1991
Kevin Dobson stars in the made-for-TV melodrama Fatal Friendship. Playing the longtime best friend of Gerald McRaney, Dobson is somewhat taken aback when he learns that McRaney is a contract killer. This revelation puts a crimp in their relationship, and also drains Dobson's energies as he tries to catch McRaney in the act. Yes, we know: the audience didn't swallow this one either. Fatal Friendship was first telecast (with an ominous lack of network promotion) on December 1, 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Adapted from a Stephen King novel, Rob Reiner's Misery cast James Caan as a writer at a career crossroads. The film opens with Paul Sheldon (Caan) completing work on his latest novel, a break from his popular series of novels featuring the character Misery Chastain. He gets into a severe car accident and is saved by Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), a reclusive woman who nurses him back to health. Annie is a huge fan of the Misery novels, and she finishes reading the new one while Paul is convalescing. She becomes enraged when she discovers that Paul has killed off Misery. Annie injures Paul's foot severely so that he is unable to leave her house, and forces him to write a new Misery novel. A local sheriff (Richard Farnsworth) and Paul's agent (Lauren Bacall) both attempt to track down what happened to the missing author. Misery shot the relatively unknown Kathy Bates to stardom, winning her one of the few Best Actress Oscars ever bestowed for portraying an evil character. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Caan, Kathy Bates, (more)
Nearly three decades after climbing the top-ten charts with his ballad "Big Bad John", Jimmy Dean stars in a film version of the song. Dean doesn't play the title character, though; that honor goes to ex-footballer Doug English. After killing a man who needed killing, Big Bad John loses himself by going to work in a treacherous Colorado coal mine. A whole slew of plot complications later, the film finally gets around to the gist of the song, with Big Bad John saving the lives of his fellow miners at the price of his own. For the record, Dean plays a sheriff who reluctantly pursues the fugitive John all over the country. Also in the cast is Ned Beatty, playing an abusive father to end all abusive fathers, and Jack Elam and Bob Hopkins, doing their usual. Big Bad John was directed by Burt Kennedy, an old hand at backwoods melodramas. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Father Barnes (Hunt Block), a young Cabot Cove priest, refuses to reveal the words spoken by a parishioner during Confessional. It doesn't matter that the parishioner has confessed to killing a person in self-defense: Father Barnes is bound by the rules of his order, and remains mum. The situation gets worse when another person is accused of the killing, at which point Jessica Fletcher, bound by no rules other than her own, decides to intervene. This episode marks the first of several series appearances by Madlyn Rhue, an actress who had been forced into virtual retirement by multiple sclerosis, but who was able to pay her medical bills by occasionally appearing on Murder She Wrote through the auspices of her friend Angela Lansbury. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
If you've seen TV wrestling, you know what a "caged" bout is. In Cage, it's for real; two testosterone-pumped behemoths are placed in a cage where they duke it out to the death. Lou Ferrigno plays Billy Thomas, the muscle-bound Vietnam vet who is finagled into cage-fighting by a group of mobsters. Scott Monroe (Reb Brown), the man whose life Billy saved in Nam, finds himself (through a series of ludicrous plot twists) facing his former savior in the dreaded cage. We suppose this was meant to be taken seriously, but audiences didn't get the hint; Cage has been greeted with raucous, derisive laughter ever since its 1990 release. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lou Ferrigno, Reb Brown, (more)
Based on a novel by Louis L'Amour, this made-for-HBO western stars Sam Elliott, an enigmatic gunslinger who comes to the aid of a family traveling through the wilderness. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sam Elliott, Tom Conti, (more)
- 1987
The valor and anguish of the Alamo is resurrected in this '80s effort that features a considerably accomplished cast. Brian Keith plays Davy Crockett and James Arness is Jim Bowie who, although at odds at times with his leader Colonel William Travis (Alec Baldwin), is able to focus upon the battle against the Mexican soldiers. Highlights of this film are the battle action scenes. ~ All Movie Guide
After a big-time country singer (Dolly Parton) brags that she can turn anybody in to a country-singin' star, she's out to prove she can live up to her talk when she recruits a cab-driver (Sylvester Stallone) as a country singer. He's scheduled to sing at a big-time NYC country night club and Dolly puts her ample powers to work in preparing her protege. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sylvester Stallone, Dolly Parton, (more)
- 1983
Phoenix may not be Roswell, but try telling that to Alice (Linda Lavin) when she sees a UFO. At first, the gang at the diner laughs at Alice's supposed sighting--but when "true believers" begin showing up at the diner, Mel figures out a way to profit from his top waitress' Close Encounter. With this episode, Alice moved to a Monday-night timeslot (it was originally seen just before the now famous M*A*S*H series finale). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1982
Mel (Vic Tayback) cannot help but notice that a competing diner has increased its business after the owner inaugurated a giveaway contest. Never one to let grass grow under his feet, Mel starts up a contest of his own, besting his rival by offering a prize of $3000. This would be hunky-dory except for the fact that Mel doesn't have $3000. Comic magician and former McHale's Navy regular Carl Ballantine appears as Freddy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1982
After six successful seasons in a Sunday-night CBS slot, Alice moved to Wednesdays to launch its seventh year on the air. Appearing in the Season Seven opener is Debbie Reynolds as Felicia Blake, a famous actress who has just published her sensational, tell-all memoirs. While the whole world would like to learn the identity of the mystery man whom Felicia has identified as the "greatest kisser" she has ever known, diner owner Mel (Vic Tayback) has absolutely no doubts: He is confident that she is referring to him! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
Mel (Vic Tayback) is seized by a feeling of profound depression when he looks around and realizes that he has no heirs to carry on his legacy (such as it is). With the help of resident legal expert Earl (Dave Madden), Mel decides to draw up a will with some rather eccentric terms. It is when Mel announces the contents of the will to his "heirs" Alice (Linda Lavin), Vera (Beth Howland) and Jolene (Celia Weston) that the trouble REALLY starts! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
